Stone shield for conveyer supports



1 Oct B. GRONKE s'roun SHIELD Foa CONVEYER SUPPORTS Filed Nov. 26, 1924 Patented Oct. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT ore BARNEY enonnn, or oizroAeo, ILLINOIS,

1,646,452 ICE.

.ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL HARVESTEE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STONE SI-II ELD FOR CONVEYER SUPPORTS.

Application filed November 26, 1924. Serial .No. 752,291.

The present invention relates to diggers of the endless'elevator type and moreopartlcularly to such machinesas potato di ggers having a shovel for digging up the soil containtion is to prevent objects such as stones,

which frequentlylodge on the conveyor and I are carried down by the lower run thereof,

from wedging in between the conveyer and the pulleys or between them and the frame of the machine thereby causing interference with proper operationsand.possible breakage of parts.

Another object is to provide shielding means for the supporting pulleys of the conveyer capable of adjustment in such a man ner as to cooperate most efficiently with the conveyor.

lVith these-main and other minor objects in view, the invention resides in the 1mproved construction and arrangement of parts,or the mechanical equivalents thereof. hereinafter more fully described and defined in the claims.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view tlu'oughthe forward end of a potato digger including the shielding means comprising the invention; f

Fig. 2 is a similar plan view;

Fig. is detail sectional view on the lines 33, Fig. 1;

F 4 is a detail view of one of the rollers and shields viewed from beneath; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View through one of therollers and shields.

In the present disclosure of the invention there is illustrated a potato digger of standard construction comprising upwardly inclined side plates between the lower ends of which there is secured the digging shovel 11. A rod link conveyor 12 of a well known type is mounted between the side plat-es and the space between the lower end of the conveyer and the upper edge of the shovel is occupied by the usual trap fingers 1.3.

The structure more particularly comprising theinvention includes the groove rollers 1 1 supporting the lower end ofthe conveyer plate 20 and the rear and mounted on the side the upper edge of the shovel, as best seen in lug. 1. The interlocked ends of the rods composing the elevator engage the grooves of the rollers'as the conveyor travels thereover. As the construction and arrangement ofboth of the roller mountiiigs and shields are identical, only one'of them will be des scribed in detail. i As best illustrated in Fig. 3, the roller 1.4; is journaled on ahollowfbushing 15 fixed in position against the inner face of side plate 10 by a bolt 16 which passes through the side plate and through a reinforcing piece 17 on the outer side thereof. This bolt has its innerend passing through a retaining washer 18 and through a vertical plate portion 19 on the shield to be described. The washer 18 projects slightly beyond the body of the bushing and together with a similar raised edge on the inner end of said bushing pro duces a concave surface on which the roller 14: is retained. i The vertical shielding plate 19 of the shield extends over the inner face of the roller and, rearwardly to a point just behind it where'it merges into ing shielding plate 20 extending toward the sidewall or plate 10 where it again merges tact with said wall. The plate '21 is sup ported on the side wall 10 by means of abolt 22 carried by the side wall and engaged in an arcuate slot 23 in the plate, the arc of said. slot being centered on the axis of the roller about bolt 16. The triangularspace between of the roller 14 closed by upper. and lower horizontal plates 24 which are formed to occupy the groove in the roller and-prevent entry of foreign matter behind the same. i I

Extending from the lower edgeof plate 19 anda .portion of plate 20 and preferably integral therewith is a deflecting wing 25. This deflecting wing extends, substantially at right angles to the plate 20 of the shield from a point adjacent the edge of the lower run of the conveyor 12 obliquely inwardly and upwardly with relation thereto. The deflecting wings on opposite sides of the conveyer may, therefore, be said to converge up; wardly with relation to the conveyer. The forwardlyfacing angular space between the erably closed by a horizontal web 26, the for an obliquely extend i ion deflecting wing 25 and the plate 19 is prefward end of which curves upwardly, as at 27, thereby serving as a shoe or runner normally in contact with the lower run of conveyer 12. i

It will be evident from the above dscription that the'deflecting wing may be adjusted to proper positionin light contact with the lower run of the conveyer by loos ening bolt 22 and moving the shield on bolt 16 as an axis and that when in proper position the two deflecting wings will serve to deflect or direct matter carried down on the outer portions of the lowerrun ol the conveyor outwardly over its edges thus preventing it from becoming wedged between the roller and conveyor with injuriousrosuits.

and as effective means tor preventing lodgment of foreign matter in the grooves of the rollers. The construction above described exemplifies but onetorin ot the invention as now preterrech-but it will be ohvious to those skilled. in the art that cer tain modifications may be made without departure from the gist of the invention defined in the following claims.

\Vhat is claimed is:

laThe combination with a'digger (5011? prising side walls and an endless conveyer having its lower .end passing over rollers j ournaled on supports on the inner faces of saidwalls; of shields adjustahly secured to the side walls between the runs of the con veyer andbehind the rollers and provided with shielding plates pivotally mounted on the roller supports adjacent the inner faces of the rollers for adjustment aboutthe axes of the rollers, and a deflecting wing projecting from the lower portions of each shield in proximity to the lower run off the conveyor and extending inwardly "from a position adjacent its edge.

'2. The combination with a digger coinprising; side wall and an endless conveyor having its lower end passing over rollers journaled on supports on the inner faces of The shielding mean-s also serve as supports for the inner ends of the bolts 16" said walls; of shields secured'to the side walls between theruns ot' the conveyer and behind the rollers and provided with shielding plates extending over the inner faces of the rollers and with a deflecting wing extending from apoint adjacent theedge ot the conveyer.

3. The combination with a digger C0111? prising side walls and an endless conveyor having its lower end passing over rollers ournale'd on supports on the inner faces of said walls; of shieldingmeans mounted beveyer, and means for adjusting said wings towards and from the lower run of the conve'yer. p

5. The combination with a digger coinprising an endless conveyer and supports therefor, of means extending between the upper and lower runs of the conveyor and cooperating with the lower run to engage obstacles being carried down thereon and direct them outwardly over its edges;

6. A shield for the conveyer supporting rollers of root crop harvesters, compris ng an attaching portion, plates extending there from and formed to embrace the rear fportion ofa conveyer supporting roller, and a deflecting wing below said plates and adapted to cooperate with the surface of a conveyor. i t l t In testin'iony whereof I atlix my signature.

BARNEY enouun. j 

